Hematite
by silentmovie-x
Summary: Canas' curiosity is forever foremost in his mind. Everything else runs a close second.


Canas stood in the middle of the crowded Ilian marketplace, a collection of leather tomes clutched in his arms. He watched the merchants hawking their wares and the grubby-faced street urchins who stood always just far enough away from the stalls to avoid attracting attention. They would play a game of cat and mouse with the merchants, trying to steal anything of worth so they could sell it later.

Sometimes Canas would buy a loaf of bread and give out a slice per child but not today, he was on a mission. He couldn't spare any gold, for it must all be put to good use. Craning his neck, he was able to spot the stall he had been searching for.

It was a dirty little tent. Once it had shone bright green and silver but it had faded over the years and all that remained was dullness and mud. Pushing the flaps back revealed an equally shabby interior. An old man with sharp eyes sat behind a weathered wooden counter laden with tomes and other artifacts.

"Ah, if it isn't Niime's son. Returning home from your travels for a little respite?" The old man said. His voice was soft yet strong and his deeply lined face seemed to crack as he smiled.

"It is good to see you're still doing well, Tobsen." Canas nodded. "How is mother?"

"She'd be a lot better if you'd stop moving around and stay at home for a while. Spends half her time running after that toddler of yours."

Canas cringed. "Well, she _will _be pleased to have me home. May I take a look at these tomes? You seem to have acquired additional ones since last I was here."

"Yes, yes go right ahead. Mind you don't knock any of those stones over though." The old man motioned at a collection of bright blue rocks. They emitted a strange glow, as though each one contained a tiny star.

"What are these curious things? I can't recall seeing them before." Canas peered intently at the objects. He looked up at the old man, who motioned permission to pick the stones up.

"A young sage used those to pay for a rare anima tome. She said they were some sort of 'lucky charm'."

Canas' eyes grew wide as he held the stone in the palm of his hand. It was smooth and cool, almost as if he'd plucked it right from a riverbed. "And is it really capable of influencing one's fortune?"

Tobsen snorted. "An old man like me doesn't have the curiosity to test things like this. I am stuck in my ways and have been for many years. If you wish to examine their properties, by all means, go ahead. I'll be so kind as to lower the price a little. Be sure to tell Niime, I owe her money for a bet a few years back and this is my way of paying it off."

Canas laughed as he counted the gold in his pockets. He'd been meaning to buy a few tomes as light reading but that would have to wait for another day. "Which bet would that be?"

"Whether or not that fine young woman would agree to marry a scatterbrain like you."

"Mother won that bet? She always told _me_ I never had a chance!" He pouted as he handed over the gold and placed the stones in his pocket in its place.

"Aye, the old crone wasn't too keen on having an anima user in the family. She thinks differently now though. All users of magic can appreciate talent when they see it, your mother is no exception."

Canas nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I must be on my way. None of my family know I am returning and I wouldn't want to arrive just as they begin dinner."

The old man's farewells followed him as he left the tent. The marketplace outside was as loud as ever and Canas made sure to keep an eye on the urchins. Gold he could do without but it would not do at all if the curious stones were stolen.

He followed the busy road out of town and managed to hitch a ride in the cart of a farmer that lived near him. A very familiar door was within his reach before he knew it. It only took a few seconds for footsteps to sound and someone to appear once he was inside.

"Papa!" A pair of tiny arms had seized him around the legs and a pair of big purple eyes looked up at him in utter felicity. "Mama, Papa home!"

Canas placed the tomes he had been carrying on the floor and whisked the two-year-old up into his arms as his wife appeared. She held a large wooden spoon and wore a smile almost as big as her son's.

"Welcome home." Her voice carried with it all the warmth he remembered and Canas felt that, for the time being, this was definitely where he belonged.

He pulled the stones from his pocket to show her, knowing she would be just as interested in them as he was. "Look at these! Aren't they just magnificent? They were a brilliant find!"

Surprise crossed her soft features and her smile became a grin. "Oh, Canas! You do surprise more and more each time you come home. To think you remembered Valentine's Day!"

Canas blinked as she took the stones and held them up to the light. "Ah… um… Yes! _Of course_! Happy Valentine's Day, dear!"

"Pretty!" Hugh said in delight as his mother handed a stone to him and he showed it to his father with glee.

"Yes, Hugh, it is very pretty." Canas smiled. He knew that, now the stones had been claimed as a gift, he may never get to examine whatever mystical properties they may hold.

_But, _he observed as his wife and son clutched the stones in their hands, _it's worth it to see them smile so._


End file.
